GARRIOCH GAME REPORT: Nilsson comes up big, kids look just fine as Sens knock off Blues

Senators 2, Blues 0

The Ottawa Senators offered up a glimpse of their future Thursday night.

Not only did the Senators welcome a couple of rookies to the roster at the Canadian Tire Centre as the season winds down, the club ended a five-game losing skid at home that dated back to Feb. 9 as Ottawa scored a surprising 2-0 victory over the St. Louis Blues.

Goaltender Anders Nilsson made 35 stops for his sixth career shutout and his second with the Senators as the Blues poured it on in the third period to try to tie it up. Only Christian Wolanin was able to beat St. Loius goalie Jake Allen on the 20 shots he faced while Chris Tierney scored into an empty net.

After signing Tuesday as UFA from the Princeton Tigers, Ottawa’s Max Veronneau made his debut, but he wasn’t alone. Shorthanded on the blueline with Mark Borowiecki ill and Christian Jaros injured, top prospect Erik Brannstrom suited up for his first NHL game.

He was called up from the club’s AHL affiliate in Belleville with Cody Goloubef following the morning skate. Brannstrom arrived at the rink around 5:50 p.m. and was given the chance because he was the centrepiece in the deal that sent Mark Stone to the Vegas Golden Knights at the trade deadline.

“It was a phenomenal experience, especially sharing it with Erik, it was just that much better because the team won,” said Veronneau, who played 14:20 and had five shots on net.

The Ottawa Senators’ Brady Tkachuk (7) taps the helmet of his new teammate, right wing Max Veronneau (14), as they celebrate a shutout win against the St. Louis Blues.

Brannstrom got a heads-up Wednesday he may be needed, but didn’t get the call until around lunch time Thursday.

“It was really fun. It was really exciting to get the call and it was fun to play,” said Brannstrom, who had 17:20 of ice time and was on the ice in the final minute.

We’re loving him already! And we always knew Brann would be an A+ d-man and playing in Ottawa gets him on the ice faster. Enjoy him and we’ll enjoy Stoner!

The club was also without top defenceman Thomas Chabot, so both newcomers had a chance to participate on the power play. Brannstrom and Veronneau took their first shift together in the first period and even had a chance together on the point on the man advantage.

You have to give Nilsson credit because he came up huge in this effort and gave the club a chance to win. He moved his record with the Senators to 9-9-0 with the win, and this wasn’t an easy test by any stretch of the imagination because St. Louis has been one of the league’s best teams lately.

“I thought our goalie was our best player and he was the main reason we got the win, but he wasn’t the only reason,” said coach Marc Crawford. “That was a spectacular game for Anders Nilsson. He made five or six really excellent saves. You could tell early on he had it.”

Nilsson made a huge pad stop on Ryan O’Reilly as the Blues gave a full-court press in the third. Nilsson then got his pad on a shot by Alex Steen in the dying minutes on the power play and the puck then bounced off the post.

Huge shout-out to Anders Nilsson, Christian Wolainen and the Ottawa Senators tonight. Good debut for Brannstrom and Verroneau too! Down go the Blues!

“We had the bounces on our side. They had some pucks that went off the posts and some scrambles in the crease that bounced our way. When you have the bounces on your side, everyone is working hard and we played really hard through the whole 60 minutes,” said Nilsson. “It wasn’t the prettiest win, but everybody battled hard.”

The Senators were on their heels in the third as the Blues pushed to try to get the win. The Senators ended a four-game losing streak with the win and it was Ottawa’s first win against the Blues since Jan. 17, 2017. Also, the Senators hadn’t won against St. Louis at home since Dec. 16, 2013.

After getting off to a difficult start, the Senators had a better second period and outshot the Blues by a 12-7 count. The club pulled out to a 1-0 lead through 40 minutes and Ottawa’s effort took some of the pressure of Nilsson, who stood tall by frustrating St. Louis on strong chances.

Ottawa Senators defenceman Christian Wolanin (86) celebrates his goal against the St. Louis Blues during the second period.

It was Wolanin who opened the scoring at 13:27 of the second. He took a perfect pass from Mikkel Boedker and fired the puck into a wide open net on the 14th shot Allen faced. The Senators had got off to a rough start, but pushed the pace in the second.

“We’re playing to win, but it’s fun to motivate yourself with the spoiler idea on home ice and for (Nilsson) to get the shutout, it’s a fun night,” said Wolanin.

Yup, smiles all around.

ENJOY THE MOMENT

As Veronneau prepared to suit up for his first game, Crawford was asked about what kind of advice he’d give to the young man. You’d have to assume the same would hold true for Brannstrom, who was called up about 30 minutes after the coach had held his media availability.

“Having Peter Forsberg’s talent,” Crawford said with a chuckle. “It’s about enjoying the moment, really. It’s the only time that you’re going to do it, so play hard, don’t think too much and just go out and play with energy and let things fall where they may.

“The veteran players that are around you, I’ve always found, really help you out. I can go back to my first game (with Vancouver in 1981) against the Colorado Rockies. That goes back a long way. I still remember the opening faceoff, being on the ice, playing in the game and getting an assist. … So I was a point-a-game guy for a while in the NHL.”

Crawford said people need to remember that not everybody gets this kind of opportunity.

“Again, it’s only going to happen one time, so enjoy it,” Crawford added. “You have to cherish these moments because you’re one of the very few that get the opportunity to come and play at this level.

“You can look at the history of the game and there’s less than 10,000 people in our lifetime and the lifetime of the NHL that have had the opportunity to play. That’s a pretty good group. It takes a family to get you there.”

Crawford said there would be no shortage of players in the room who know what it’s like to suit up in their first game.

“That’s always exciting,” Crawford said. “Whenever you have the energy of playing in your first game, that energy reverberates in the room and I think all guys can relate to. They all had their first game and they all recognize that was for them.

“Hopefully, you can retrigger some of that energy. Obviously, energy is really important to our group because we’re looking for any boost that we can get. We’ve talked a lot about how we have to play and how we need to keep trying to take good steps forward.”

WORDS OF THE WISE

Defenceman Christian Wolanin has been through the experience Veronneau was facing Thursday.

Last year, Wolanin suited up for the for the final 23 games of the regular season with the Senators after leaving North Dakota State to sign. He walked into the rink at the same time as Veronneau on Wednesday and offered up as much advice as he could.

St. Louis Blues goaltender Jake Allen (34) and Ottawa Senators left wing Brady Tkachuk (7) watch the puck during the first period.

“He was pulling his Princeton bag out of the car,” Wolanin said. “I caught up with him and I told him, ‘Hey, man, you’re in the exact same situation I was last year, and it’s a unique situation where you’re going to a team that’s not making the playoffs and is at the bottom of the league, but you’re living your dream.’

“I just basically told him that we’re headed in the right direction as a team and as a franchise, and it’s good to have him as part of it and let me know if there’s anything you need.”

NO SET PLAN

The decision to go with Nilsson in goal on Thursday was a small surprise, but it means that Craig Anderson will likely start against the Maple Leafs on Saturday.

The Senators need to make a decision on Nilsson in the off-season and they want to have a good idea on where his game is at. He will be an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and the Senators have been impressed with what they’ve seen, but will he be the backup next year?

Ottawa Senators goaltender Anders Nilsson (31) watches the puck bounce over the crossbar during the second period.

Crawford said that’s a decision the organization is trying to make.

“We said we’re going to play both of them and we’re still evaluating on Nilsson,” he said. “Every opportunity he gets to play is another chance for him to play in front of our management and our people. He’s played very well and I thought he’s played some games where he’s been the most important factor in some of the wins that he’s had.”

THE LAST WORDS

The Senators are hoping to have centre Colin White back Saturday when the Leafs visit. He has been battling a minor undisclosed issue that has kept him out of the club’s past two games. The Senators thought he might be able to suit up against the Blues but he wasn’t on the ice for the club’s morning skate and was ruled out. “White is day-to-day, we were really hopeful that he would be ready today,” Crawford said. … A correction on something that appeared in this space Thursday: Veronneau played his junior B for the Ottawa Canadians in 2012-13. … Hampered by a hip injury that hasn’t allowed him to suit up since he played for Belleville in early November, Mike Condon has been taking shots in full equipment while doing his recovery in Ottawa. If he’s able to get to get back to the point that he can suit up again this season, then it’s possible Condon could be available to the AHL team.

The puck passes the helmet of St. Louis Blues goaltender Jake Allen (34) as defenceman Jay Bouwmeester (19) and Ottawa Senators right wing Bobby Ryan (9) skate in front of the crease during the second period.

FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED

1. Getting a chance to play

Max Veronneau was moved off the fourth line in the second and it paid off as he registered four shots on goal through 40 minutes. He got the opportunity to play along side Jean-Gabriel and Brady Tkachuk. Give the kids a chance.

2. This is a tough game

During the first period, Ottawa’s Brian Gibbons and the Blues’ Brayden Schenn both spent time on the bench after taking pucks in the face. Neither missed much time, but it’s always scary to see that happen.

Viewers at home got a chance to get a live perspective from the bench. Goalie Craig Anderson wore an earpiece so he could chat with TSN’s Gord Miller and Jamie MacLennan through the course of the broadcast.

4. Belleville Senators will be here next season

The Senators tried to schedule a doubleheader with their AHL affiliate before the end of this season, but it isn’t feasible this year. COO Nic Ruszkowski told season-seat holders the club will schedule a Belleville game here next year.

5. The newcomer treatment for the new Senators

Making their NHL debuts, Veronneau and Erik Brannstrom were the first ones on the ice for warmup. They took a couple of laps by themselves before they were joined by their teammates.